Emotional Regulation

The ability to understand and manage your feelings in a healthy way

Strengths-Based Lens

Students with big emotions often have exceptional empathy, creativity, and passion. They feel deeply — about injustice, about their interests, about their relationships. This emotional depth, when supported, drives powerful advocacy, artistic expression, and meaningful connections.

What It Can Look Like

Meltdowns or shutdowns when work feels too hard

Extreme frustration over small setbacks (broken pencil, wrong answer)

Difficulty recovering from peer conflict to focus on learning

Anxiety that prevents participation or risk-taking

Emotional reactions that seem disproportionate to the situation

Student Voice

"I know I overreacted but I couldn't stop the feeling."

"When I get upset, everything shuts down and I can't think."

"I'm not trying to be difficult — I just feel everything so strongly."

Emotional Regulation.m4a

Teaching Strategies (Tier 1 — Whole Class)

Universal strategies that benefit all learners.

Create a calm, predictable classroom environment

Teach emotional vocabulary explicitly

Normalise all emotions — 'It's okay to feel frustrated, let's find a way through'

Build in regulation breaks (breathing exercises, movement)

Model your own emotional regulation: 'I'm feeling frustrated too, so I'm going to...'

Targeted Supports (Tier 2 — Individual/Small Group)

For students who need additional, more personalised support.

Create a personal regulation plan with the student

Provide a calm-down space or 'take a break' pass

Teach specific strategies: box breathing, grounding (5-4-3-2-1)

Use check-in scales at the start of lessons

Connect with school counsellor for additional support

Assessment Impact

May experience test anxiety that doesn't reflect their ability

Could give up mid-assessment when frustrated

Might need a separate space for high-stakes assessments

Could benefit from practice assessments to build confidence and familiarity

Quick Wins — Try This Tomorrow

Start each class with a quick check-in (thumbs up/middle/down)

Create a visible 'emotion meter' and normalise using it

Offer two choices when a student is escalating: 'Would you like to take a walk or use your breathing card?'

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